Samaritan Summit Village receives approval for limited visitation

WATERTOWN, NY — Samaritan Summit Village is pleased to announce it has been approved to allow limited visitation for all residents. Guidance for limited nursing home visitation was provided by the New York State Department of Health on July 10, 2020. Samaritan Summit Village submitted its plan following the strict guidelines on Wednesday, July 15, and received notification of approval on July 19, 2020. The new limited visitation began Monday, July 20, 2020.

The state issued guidance to ensure the safety of long-term care residents, who are vulnerable during the current pandemic. The new limited visitation will adhere to the following guidelines:

  • Visitation is only allowed outside, weather permitting, with very limited exceptions.

  • Visits are by appointment only for a maximum of two people per resident.

  • Visits will be scheduled every 30 minutes, for a duration of 20 minutes, to allow us to disinfect between visits.

  • Visitation times are Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

  • Visitors will be limited to one visit per day so we can accommodate as many as possible.

  • All visitors must wear masks and practice social distancing during the visit.

  • There is no physical contact allowed.

  • If any staff member or resident tests positive for COVID-19, limited visitation will be suspended until the facility is COVID-free for 28 days.

  • All visitors will be screened, including a temperature check and a series of questions regarding health status and recent travel history. If a visitor does not meet requirements or has any questionable travel, they will not be allowed to visit.

Resident families have been notified of these guidelines. Summit Village Skilled Nursing visits can be made by contacting Sandi Baril at sbaril@shsny.com or 315-782-7010. Summit Village Assisted Living visits can be made by contacting Dani McLean at dmclean@shsny.com or 315-779-5113.

Summit Village staff is committed to keeping our residents safe and connected during the pandemic. We are still encouraging window visits, phone calls, video chats and more. All Summit Village staff are being tested weekly for the Coronavirus, a state mandate that has been extended until August 8th. With the new limited visitation, if a staff member or resident tests positive for the virus, all residents must then be tested.

Samaritan’s other long-term care facility, the Samaritan Keep Home, has submitted its limited visitation plan to the state for approval. We expect to know more this week and will communicate with families.